Turn off that Game

I went to Purdue for a night over Halloween weekend and I stayed with a friend from high school. We had a lot of fun hanging out and having people over. One of the funniest parts of the entire night was when we started playing the game Rockband. I am not an avid video game player (I only play Nintendo Wii and Super Nintendo), but I enjoyed my time playing the game. I enjoyed the company and interactions the game brought to the night, not so much the game itself.

I think the people who play Xbox and other game systems for hours in a virtual world are missing the whole point of video games. Yes, they may be entertained by the graphics, user interface, and the competition, but they are artificially satisfied. Once the game is turned off, they are back to the real world and find themselves alone on the couch eating Cheetos and drinking Pepsi.

This is why I only play the Wii and the old school Super Nintendo. The Wii was created for social interactions, not artificial ones. When you play the Wii, you are laughing, cussing, and playing with real people in the same room as you. The Super Nintendo is the same way. Since most people played it when they were younger, it brings back some great memories. These memories are best shared in the presence of others.

The way I judge a game and a game system is simple:

If I turn the game off, will I still be having fun?

If the answer is yes, then I will play the game/game system. If the answer is no, then I will find something else to do. A game can be turned off, but people will always be around. It is better to have a relationship with a friend than it is to have one with a game.